RoadSoda: Day 3 At The Quik Pro

Yesterday evening was an absolute treat. Golden light illuminated wave after wave bend down the bank from Snapper to Kirra – it was easily one of the prettier scenes I’ve witnessed. The sun dove toward the cityscape, the girls finished up a full day of blitzing heats, and the Golds went down all too easy.

It’s now the morning time and those beers don’t yield as rewarding as I thought. But there’s more swell in the water and it’s still pumping. With plenty of heats to run and the top thirty four anxiously awaiting some water time, there’s no use in letting a little rain hinder this parade.

ADS. Photo: Hammonds

8:30am – Day three of the Quik Pro is a go on this wet Sunday morning. Adriano took down the first heat of the morning and Julian Wilson just lost to Sebastian Zietz. Which would come as a bit surprising given that Jules was in the Final last year, but past results are no crutch (no matter what this new WSL stat man tells you). And guess who’s been pruning himself with countless sessions out front? Mr. Sebastian Zietz. Ain’t it refreshing seeing hard work pay?

Stu Kennedy on his way to 9.5 and into the light of Round 3. Photo: Hammonds

9:15am – There are currently only two men on tour riding Slater Designs boards. One of them is obviously Kelly Slater, and the other is CT-reunited regular foot Stu Kennedy. The two just surfed against each other in Heat 3 of Round 2 and I find a tiny bit of joy in saying that Stu made Kelly’s boards look far better than Kelly made Kelly’s boards look. And when I say a tiny bit of joy I’m blatantly underselling it.

Clip: Sherm

Fifteen points later, Stu left Kelly needing nearly a nine and by the looks of a few tantrum kickouts, Kelly wasn’t too happy about that. The boss goes down in Round 2, and Stu is hoping that he’s still on the team.

10:00am – Contest is on hold hold for now. The incoming tide didn’t prove as promising as we’d hoped for. Next call is at 12:30.

2:45pm – After the 12:30 call to hold off until 2:00, we’re back on here at Snapper Rocks for the rest of Round two of the Quik Pro.

I’m beginning to get a sinking feeling that yesterday was the day, and although the women put on a dazzling display of surfing, the men haven’t been given a crack at the Snapper we’d all hoped for. It’s a reoccurring phenomena that seems to take place here on the Gold Coast. The women get the glory and the men get the short end of the stick.

But waiting period issues and commissioner qualms aren’t worth a worry as of now. There are still a few rippable waves and Ryan Callinan and Jordy Smith are in the midst of a back and forth battle. All we can wish for at this point is an improvement as the tide goes out.

Photo: Sherm

Callinan, one happy man. Photo: Hammonds

4:00pm – With every bit of predictability this contest has served up comes something quite the opposite. Everyone’s been reveling in Jordy Smith’s surfing as of late, with his new clip and plenty of freesurf session to prove why, but sure enough, tour rookie Ryan Callinan took full opportunity of a lack of Jordy’s lack of rhythm and unleashed a flurry of his trademark backhand spring.

John John’s looking oh so laid back. Photo: Hammonds

On the other side of the spectrum of predictability is John John Florence and a heat win over tour newcomer Davey Cathels. With the local prowess of Bede Durbidge in John’s corner and a very composed look to his surfing at the moment, John’s looking like a good pick going into Round 3.

Photo: Sherm

5:15pmIs anyone else ready for a cold one? The day’s been a long one filled with holds and calls and no-calls and it seems as though everyone who’s been lucky enough to fight their way through Round 2 is more than grateful. In conditions like these, the most skewed of heats can be toss-ups, so getting a win isn’t exactly a cakewalk even for the best in the biz.

Beer anyone? Photo: Sherm

Heat 10 is a wrap for the day. The Men will be back on call in the morning to finish up the rest of Round 2 with local boy Jack Freestone opening the day. Stay tuned right here and follow @theroadsoda on Instagram for up-to-date coverage.